180 
On the SrructurE and Oricin of the SPERMATOPHORS, or 
SpEerM-RopES, of two Species of Tunirex. By E. Ray 
LANKESTER. 
In the April number of this Journal last year I called 
attention to the fact that the so-called opalinoid parasite 
Pachydermon of M.Claparéde, found in the copulatory pouches 
of certain Oligochcetous Annelids, is in reality a felted mass 
of spermatozoa, ¢.e. a spermatophor. 
Such bodies have been described as occurring in Mollusca 
and Insects, sometimes presenting remarkable complexity of 
structure. Their occurrence in the Leeches was noticed, many 
years since, by Professor Max Schultze (also by Fr. Muller), 
who does not, however, ascribe to them, in this case, 
anything beyond a simple rope-like structure. The same 
authority makes the statement that spermatophors occur in 
the “ Regenwiirmer,” but does not specify species nor form. 
Professor Leuckart, in his ‘‘ Bericht,” for the years 1848 to 
1853, points out that the filamentous bodies found in Stylaria 
by d’Udekem, are spermatophors ; a view which d’Udekem 
subsequently adopted. In Troschel’s ‘ Archiv ’ for 1850, in 
a paper by Professor Budge, where the generative organs of a 
species of Limnodrilus and of a species of Tubifex are de- 
scribed as belonging to 7. révulorum, the spermatophors are 
figured, but their nature is not determined.'! The very curious 
structure of these built-up masses of spermatophors, the fact 
that they are an example of a kind of organisation elsewhere 
without parallel—a secondary aggregation, not due to growth, 
as ordinarily presented by organized beings, but to accumu- 
lation of free independently-developed elements, gives them a 
claim on our attention, as well as the facts that they have been 
misunderstood by the ablest and latest writer (M. Claparéde) 
on the animals which present them; and that they exhibit 
marked variations in form in the various genera and species 
of Oligochcet worms.’ 
In my former paper I figured, but roughly, the sperm-rope 
of a Limnodrilus and of Nats serpentina. In the plate 
accompanying this paper, more careful figures are given of 
1 J am indebted to Prof. Leuckart for reference to the papers in which 
spermatophors have been assigned to the Oligocheta. Prof. Gegenbauer in 
his ‘Grundziige der Vergleich Anat.,’ second edition, p. 294, gives a brief 
but accurate notice of those of Tubifex—apparently from original observa- 
tions—which has come under my eye whilst writing this. 
2 They do not occur in the earth-worm ; perhaps this is correlated with 
its not inhabiting the water. 
